I have run many races, from 5k parkruns to half marathons, that start at Fletcher's Boathouse or go…read morepast. The Canal Tow Path is terrific: flat, smooth, straight, soft, and scenic. I am writing for three reasons. I have revised this review, because my description of the parking was only partly accurate. That is due to my stupidity, looking primarily in the summer -- I was able to perceive more clearly when the leaves were off the trees, in the winter. I just came back from the venue moments ago. So I can be much more clear. First, there are two parking lots. There is a tiny one right there. I would not count on it. The one time, I flew on a redeye flight just as the pandemic was ending, to run a half marathon. I am not in the shape needed to do that anymore. I arrived maybe 6am. That meant I could find a space and take a quick nap. But fifty feet down the dirt road is a tunnel. It is so cramped you might not believe your car will fit. But that is what it is for. A sedan will do fine; an oversize SUV, maybe not. It's also two way with room for only one car width. This passage leads across the canal. There is a much bigger parking lot. I have had good luck. I would bet it fills up on busy days later in the morning, but in the 7am range it's half empty. Usually, I Uber to this destination or I park in the neighborhood, and walk the remaining half mile. Second, the turn into the parking lot is tight. I cannot describe it. It'd be easier to draw a diagram. It's more than two roads meeting; the angles also are oblique. People don't understand how the intersection works. That is aggravating. I try not to be judgmental. Probably there will be an accident sometime, and that will lead to reform. My wife refuses to drive down here. The narrowness of the sidewalk renders it dangerous for pedestrians. Please, be careful. Third, they have restrooms. They are kept clean. This is a huge boon. I am always on the lookout for public restrooms of high quality. I share for the benefit of all.

Fletcher's Cove is just a few miles from downtown, yet it feels miles further away with its…read morepeaceful water and forested banks. Even with my paddleboard exploding when inflating, it was a wonderful trip. The park entrance is fee-free, and there is plenty of parking just a few feet away from kayak launches, a small dock with rental kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddle boards. Cramming myself and my friend into our single remaining inflatable kayak worked out great. The Potomac has a lazy flow at the fastest, and there is a large area with little movement that makes lazy drifting easy and perfect for kids and those looking for more relaxation than paddling. Absolutely great spot to go after work or with the family on weekends!

Chaotic dock environment in the mornings with many unsupervised student crews moving boats. I got…read morehit in the head by one once. No apparent dockmaster. I've seen dogs running on the dock and kids playing catch. There are personal items including clothing, shoes, and bottles left underfoot up and down the dock. The person answering the reservation line sounds totally out of it, like they are impaired. This business needs much better supervision. Hopefully new staff will correct things in the 2026 season.

The process to rent a kayak was pretty straightforward on the website. We went on a Wednesday and…read morewe were lucky enough to get parking right beside the dock. The girl helping us with the kayak was friendly. We were experienced at kayak and didn't need any pointers. The route for this spot allowed us to go around Theodore Roosevelt Island. A really beautiful setting on picture perfect summer day.

Dan set us up with safety precautions to ensure that we had an excellent day on the water. He was…read morekind, thorough and helpful in lining our boat back up correctly. Demetri helped us us get set up for the "last mile" of boat operation so that it was easy to learn before we set out. Thank you both for an amazing day with Goboat. I'd highly recommend visiting this business for a fun activity and hope to be back soon! Sameer

One Star -- Safety and Customer Service Should Come Before Blame…read more I genuinely wish I could give zero stars. What was supposed to be an enjoyable birthday outing became one of the worst customer-service experiences I've encountered. Our reservation was 7-9 p.m. GoBoat emphasized arriving by 6:40 to avoid losing rental time, so we arrived at 6:15 p.m. After approximately five unanswered calls and watching groups who arrived after us get boarded first, we finally departed around 7:12 p.m. Our boat wasn't even fully prepared--the top covering we purchased had to be installed after we reminded staff. Jamal provided basic operating and route instructions, which we followed. However, no joint pre-rental inspection of the boat, electric motor, or propeller was conducted with us, so its condition was never established to us before departure. At approximately 8:12 p.m., while following the instructed route, another passenger and I heard/felt something underneath the boat. It was nighttime with low visibility, the water was not transparent, and debris was present. Immediately afterward, everyone noticed the motor/propeller making a noise it had not made previously. We immediately reported it rather than continuing the outing. Jocelyn placed the boat in neutral and steered toward the dock. Jamal and Miles were genuinely concerned and assisted us back safely, and I appreciate them. Unfortunately, management's response was entirely different. General Manager Steve immediately blamed us, stated we should be financially responsible under the waiver, and came across as rude, accusatory, and condescending. The owner, Roberto, also attributed the damage to us, discussing the expense of propeller repairs and stating they hadn't "even reached the surface" of what repairs could cost. Yet neither management response began with the most important questions: Is everyone okay? What happened? That bothered me more than anything. We followed GoBoat's instructions, promptly reported the problem, stopped operating the boat, and had never been shown the propeller's condition beforehand. Jamal also told us we weren't the first group this had happened to. I am not claiming the equipment was previously damaged--I simply disagree with immediately assigning fault without first investigating what happened. GoBoat ultimately decided not to charge us, but maintained that we caused the damage. By the time everything was discussed, it was approximately 8:43 p.m., making their offer to restart on another boat impractical due to our other obligations. We effectively received about one hour of a two-hour birthday outing. Roberto promised a gift card for our unused time, valid through October 31. As of this review, we still haven't received it. Frankly, the gift card is the least of my concerns because this experience has made me reluctant to operate another GoBoat. For a business putting customers on the water, SAFETY SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT. Management should first ensure everyone is safe, determine what happened, inspect the equipment, and then determine responsibility--not immediately blame customers and discuss how much they'll potentially owe. I appreciate Jamal and Miles for their assistance, but the delayed/unprepared departure, unanswered calls, lack of a joint pre-rental inspection, lost rental time, immediate presumption of fault, management's tone, and lack of initial concern for our safety made this an exceptionally disappointing experience. The mechanical issue could have simply been an unfortunate occurrence. Management's handling of it is what earned the one-star review. DON'T GOBOAT, GO ELSEWHERE!

I am accustomed to wonderfully friendly and accommodating kayak companies and this one did not hit…read morethat standard. Booking was easy enough, and we checked in at the main dock, then walked down to the launch. The employee who was assisting with the kayaks seemed very tired and uninterested. We had some questions about kayaking parameters, and he responded with short, off-putting, counters. Upon entering my kayak, I saw that the interior was wet and I asked for a dryer option. He said it was not available, and the water quickly soaked into my clothes. It was one of those moments, where I looked at the stacks of kayaks and wondered why a different one was not available. Once on the water, the sights are cool! But be aware, you cannot access the tidal basin. It was a fun way to explore DC even with wet clothes.

My partner and I rented two hydra-bikes and we had a great time. The folks helping us were laid…read moreback and helpful. I think that type of easy-going approach is odd for some people, but we really enjoyed not feeling rushed, judged, or overwhelmed with lots of info and overzealous customer service. We got a quick explanation of how to ride and where to ride and were off. They let us leave 10min early and still honored our entire 1hr reservation. We saw other kayakers and folks on the hydra-bikes and everyone was all smiles. The views from the river are so nice! I want to find a place like this back home- simple, no frills, and fun!

Very rude and impersonal on the phone when I called to ask about my sailing class after I put a…read moredeposit down. I tried to give my availability and was cutoff---she said I will contact you if we have an instructor. Ok, well I can't just drop everything when you call to go sailing, please take my updated a availability? I hope other employees are better-suited to customer service and maybe kayaking and other options are still worth it, just wanted to let everyone know of my experience. I've never left a bad review, but I was excited to learn to sail, sad this had to be my experience. On to the next place!

Learning to sail had been on my bucket list forever so when I saw that the Mariner Sailing School…read moreoffered sailing lessons for adults every week of summer I decided to sign myself up for my own "summer camp". I have to tell you that learning to sail was an excellent decision because I actually learned to sail a 19 foot flying scot independently! My lessons consisted of four 2.5 hour morning sailing lessons out on the Potomac, Monday through Thursday. The sailing school also offers adult weeknight and weekend classes and different kids camps. The instructors split my class up into groups of two or three, went over some of the materials and then out onto the water we went to learn how to rig the boat and raise the sails. My instructor Ray was awesome, he taught us what we needed to know and even pushed us to run docking drills by ourselves on the last day of classes. Yes, at times the lessons were super challenging and nerve wracking, but once you get some practice time in, you'll get the hang of it. It's worth it to learn how to sail. I myself now find sailing enjoyable and ridiculously relaxing. Everyone I have encountered at the marina either teaching lessons, working in the office or out on the dock have been super friendly and helpful. They give you a free week of practice sails after your lesson so that you feel totally comfortable sailing independently and the people at the dock give plenty of tips to help you continue to hone your beginner skills.

I completed my dry suit certification with Everett and Valerie at Lake Phoenix. They are skillful…read moreteachers, experienced divers, and great to spend the day with. I left confident in my new skills and appreciate their excellent training.

My sons had a great experience with their weekend pool course as part of their Open Water…read morecertification. The instructors are thorough and attentive. The people in the store were also great - knowledgeable and helpful. All the staff is so into diving, which is really contagious.

Had a great time on the water, when the drizzle of rain disappeared it got even better. The boat…read morewas easy to operate and didn't take any prior experience, it's like driving a car but on water! Not sure how different it is from bigger boats because I haven't done either but I can confirm driving this one is easy if you have an hesitations.

We had such a great time hanging out on the water tonight…read more The weather was perfect for it. My hunnie shared he stumbled across this place online and being that we love hanging out in the water decided to give this a try. My husband was our captain which provided a romantic intimate evening for just us two. I was tasked to bring my favorite wine/champagne I like to sip along with some snacks and all & all it was an AWESOME time. Not to mention you're at the wharf so afterwards there's plenty dining options for you. We would definitely do this again!

I stopped by for some advice on dive computer and other equipment I am in the market for. Mel and…read moreSy (?) were helpful, they clearly have a ton of knowledge. The store carries a lot of quality equipment and they offer classes as well as amazing dive trips. I only had a short amount of time to pick their brains but I will definitely be back!

Did the intro to scuba course. Had a great time. Fred was very helpful and patient. Excellent…read moreopportunity to test other scuba is for you.